Lost Prophecy
by Henna
Summary: All Nyx wanted to do was keep her job as a servant and marry her employer. But when the Gods intervine, she must go on a quest that will change the fate of the universe...
1. Nyx, servant of Goddess Grove

Hey peeps! Hope you like this little story. This is a Tamora  
Pierce fanfiction, as I will be using the names of the gods   
and a character or two. I'm not sure who yet, though. Give  
me some suggestions in reviews. Tamora owns any characters   
you recignize. If she doesn't, then it's a coincidense. TTFN!  
Goddess Bless...  
~*~Henna-chan~*~  
  
  
  
Child of Gold, Daughter of night   
Their holy union will bring only light   
Sister of Pentacle, Rider of Sky   
  
So goes the prophecy, so it shall be.  
  
Chapter One: Nyx, servant of Goddess Grove  
  
"Nyx!" came the shrill voice from the dinning room.  
"Coming m'lady!" A tall, willowy girl took a taste of the soup she   
was cooking and smiled,   
satisfied. She poured the soup out of the pot and into her   
mistress's favorite bowl. She   
quickly brought it from the kitchen to the dinning room without   
spilling a drop and placed   
it in front of her lady.  
"Took you long enough," said Lady Nicola. From a lesser lady, it   
would be considered a   
snort. "Mother wouldn't be pleased if I told her that you were  
procrastinating."  
Nyx bowed, her deep black hair hiding her face. "It won't happen   
again, m'lady."  
"Good. Go get me some bread to dunk in my soup."  
"Yes m'lady."  
Nyx walked out of the room, still bowing. She didn't rise until she   
was out of view of the   
noble. As she arose, her silver eyes flashing in annoyance, she   
mumbled under her breath   
about snotty, good for nothing noble girls. She quickly brought   
out fresh bread and   
another bowl of soup for the fief's lady.  
Lady Nain was just sitting down when Nyx entered the room. She   
looked beautiful with   
her violet eyes surrounded by blue eye powder and her golden   
blonde hair up in an   
intricate up-do. She donned a blue overdress and lavender   
petticoats.  
Nicola certainly didn't get her looks from her mother. Her   
chestnut eyes were nothing out   
of the ordinary and her light brown hair left much to be desired.   
Compared to her mother's exotic looks, Nicola looked simply   
faded. Today Nicola wore a   
light pink overdress and   
starched white petticoats. Both wore slippers the colors of their   
overdresses.  
"Ah, Nyx. Just on time, as usual," came the soft, melodic voice of   
Nain. Nicola made a face behind her mother's back.  
"The soup today is wild mushroom. I hope it is to your   
satisfaction," Nyx said with a bow.   
She then turned toward Nicola and placed a fresh loaf of bread on   
the table next to her.   
"Here is your bread, m'lady. Is their anything else you would like,   
nobilities?"  
"That will be all, Nyx," Nain said with a dismissing wave of the   
hand. Nyx retreated to the kitchen, checking the venison that was   
slowly cooking for dinner. It was cooking   
slightly faster than she thought. She mentally turned down the   
fire's heat a smidgen. She   
then walked briskly to the sewing room. She still had to finish the   
gowns for tomorrow's ball.  
She picked up Nain's first. It was a striking violet, the color of   
Nain's eyes, with silver trimming. Nyx picked up her embroidery   
supplies and got to work. It took her over an hour to complete the   
intricate designs on the dress. She looked at her work proudly: she   
was the best seamstress in Goddess Grove, the fief she lived in   
Nain's dress would rival that of the queen herself's.  
Hesitantly she picked Nicola's up. She fingered the soft fabric.   
The texture and color reminded her of that of a fawn's. Nicola's   
was not nearly as complex as she was not the lady of the fief, but   
the lady's daughter. It was still beautiful, but not astounding as   
Nain's was. Nyx looked down at her own tattered clothing and   
sighed. She knew that she would probably never wear something   
as fine as this. Tomorrow night she would wear decent clothing,   
as the ball was being hosted at Goddess Grove and she was to   
serve, but it wasn't anything special. Nicola's just needed to be   
hemmed. That was easily done, if she could get the girls to keep   
still.  
Just then, a knock on the door signaled the arrival of the two   
nobles in mind. Nain's son, Alexander, was scheduled to arrive   
later that night. Nyx ran to open the door. After deciding who   
would be fitted first, Nicola stepped out of her clothing and   
waited to be fitted. Nyx pulled out the garment and put it on the   
girl. She noted the adjustments that needed to be made: A   
tightening of the bodice, letting out the waist, a little longer. Nyx   
quickly pulled off the dress lest Nicola ripped it, and summoned   
the silent Nain.  
Nain, in contrast to Nicola, was still and courteous. Nyx proudly   
noted that her measurements were perfect and that the dress   
looked beautiful. Nain herself said so.  
Nyx thanked the two women and got to work on Nicola's dress.   
She laughed to herself when she noticed that the girl had gained   
several pounds, judging by the expansion in the hips and waist.   
Nyx knew that it was wrong to hate her charge, but she couldn't   
help it. The girl was impeccably rude, selfish, and self-centered.   
Nyx and her were both seventeen, and the fact that her servant   
caused more men to turn and look on the street than her made   
Nicola bristle with anger.   
Alexander entered the room without knocking. Nyx expected no   
less of him: he was notorious of belittling commoners and   
servants.  
"Can we get this over with?" Alexander asked in a bored tone. "And I better look good."  
Alexander was the one to gather his mother's good points. His   
face was soft and well formed, with wide violet-blue eyes and   
dark blonde hair. Nyx could tell that her wanted to look good for   
this, because the monarchs would be there, and this was the first   
ball being held at Goddess Grove in a long time. She pulled out   
his suit and turned around while he put it on. She used a few pins   
to adjust it slightly. After a quick looking up and down of   
the front and back, she noted a bunching of cloth in the lower back of the overcoat. She bent down to straiten it out, feeling   
Alexander stiffen under her touch.  
"Sir, If you don't relax, the suit will come out awkward. Do you   
wish for the king to see that?" Alexander slowly relaxed. It was a   
few minutes later that Nyx finally finished.   
"There you are, good as new. I can finish the rest of the   
adjustments after you take it off, sire."  
"Thank you, Nyx," Alexander said, his voice shaking slightly.  
"You may change now. I must go check on tonights dinner." Nyx   
turned to leave, but Alexander grabbed her arm before she could.   
"Did you need something else?" Her voice held not a hint of the   
nervousness she felt.  
He looked at her for a moment, and let go. "No," he whispered.   
Nyx noticed a trace of pink in his cheeks.  
  
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It was the night of the ball. The family of Goddess Grove nobles   
looked spectacular, thanks to Nyx. Nyx herself wore a simple   
black dress, one typically worn by commoners. She wasn't   
mourning or anything. She simply liked the color black. It suited   
her. Her mid-back length hair was put up in a bun so it wouldn't   
fall into the food and drinks she would be serving. No one would   
want that, with the king, queen, and heir here!  
Nyx was assigned to the tables of her lord and ladies of Goddess   
Grove, and a few other tables surrounding them. Taking a closer   
look at the chart, she noticed in astonishment that the King's table   
was one of them! 'Goddess, don't let me mess this up.'  
It wasn't long before she was handed her first tray of food for the   
king. He was to be served first, along with his family. She held   
the tray carefully; Any drop spilled would mean a beating from   
Nicola's guard later on. She walked briskly, and placed the tray   
down carefully beside the king. She curtsied deeply, stating her   
name and that she was to serve them this evening. With a small   
smile she passed out the hot dishes of soup and curtsied again   
before going to get the food for the others she was to serve. Next   
she brought her charges their food.  
"Here you are, m'lady. I hope this meal is to your satisfaction."  
Nain nodded. "Thank you, Nyx."  
Nicola scowled as Nyx served her. Alexander looked away.  
The rest of the courses went similar. Nyx only spoke briefly to   
those she served, and not at all to some. The prince kept giving   
her weird looks after witnessing Alexander's reaction   
to her speaking to him. It annoyed her profusely. She felt like just   
screaming, "What? Stop it! Just say what you have to say and stop   
staring at me!" But of course she didn't. That could get her executed.  
After the meal, all of the knights, nobles, and monarchs filed into   
the grand ballroom. Now was the actual ball. Nyx was assigned to   
serving chilled white wine. It was Nain and Alexander's favorite.   
So around she went, smiling at the people and passing around the   
libations. She was sitting down for a minute, all the serving taking   
it out of her, when she felt a hand tap her shoulder. She looked up   
into the amethyst eyes of Alexander.  
She stood up quickly, nearly dropping the tray of wineglasses.   
She curtsied. "I'm so sorry,   
  
m'lord. It won't happen again." She looked up again to see   
amusement in the same eyes.  
"You're not in trouble, Nyx," he said, laughing. He leaned in close   
and whispered in her ear. "I won't tell Nicola. I know how much   
she would give for a chance to see you out on the streets."  
Nyx visibly relaxed. "Thank you, sire. Now, may I get you   
anything?"  
"A glass of wine for me and my friend here," Alexander gestured   
to his left, where the prince stood, an amused look on his face.  
Nyx blinked, embarrassed that such an important person had   
witnessed that account. She curtsied again, this time deeper.  
"I'm sorry, highness. I did not see you there," The prince's royal   
blue eyes held laughter that told her he wasn't offended. The   
prince was handsome indeed, with midnight black hair and a   
strong chin. He had a muscular build, as did Alexander, yet his   
skin was tan in contrast to Alexander's pale.  
"It's quite all right. You may call me Raymond," said the prince.  
She handed them each a glass of wine with a smile. She didn't   
know why she was smiling so much tonight... usually someone   
was lucky if they got her to smile once a day. She excused   
herself, saying that she needed to refill her tray. She was just   
about out the door when she heard someone calling her. She   
turned around to see Nain waving her over. Inwardly, she sighed,   
yet she managed to smile as Nain was in company of the queen.  
When she reached the two women, she curtsied twice: deeply to   
the queen, and formally to Nain. "Do you need something,   
m'lady?"  
"No, Nyx. I just wanted to introduce you to the queen. Queen   
Anna, this is Nyx, my personal servant," Nain said with a   
surprising amount of pride.  
"Nyx. Nain has told me much about you. Is it true that you made   
that astounding dress that Nain is wearing?" the queen spoke in a   
soft, yet beautiful voice.  
Nyx blushed. "If it pleases nobility, then yes, I did." Anna eyed   
the girl thoughtfully.  
"This truly shows wonderful skill. You should think of going into   
a business of your own," Anna stated.  
Nyx wasn't sure what to say. No one had ever told her that she   
was good at something. "Thank you, highness. I am glad you find   
my work good. If you will excuse me, I must go refill my tray.  
The queen and Nain dismissed her with waves of the hand.  
  
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A man from the corner watched Nyx thoughtfully. 'Yes, she'll do.   
I can use her as bait to find Pentanine. All I have to do is seduce   
her with riches, power, and if all else fails, me.  
  
  
  
Please R/R!!! 


	2. Violet Eyes

Yeah, sorry. I forgot to give the time period. Let's put it this way: Versilis is Jonathan's grandson. Alanna and Kel are legends, and females are now readily allowed into knighthood without probation. They are also now in the fief, Goddess Grove, which is in Tortall. The king lives in Corus. (duh) You most likely will need some background info from "The realms of the gods" for later in the story... knowledge of some of the gods etc. (note: the name Thayet the peerless was taken directly from "Emperor Mage" as was said by Emperor Ozorne. I re-read it (and the rest of the immortals and POTS) this week with all the free time I have) Oh, and those of you that have problems with evil and twisted people, stop reading here. Later chapters may prove to be fairly strange... Sorry that this chapter isn't longer. I had way too much homework. Okay, now that that's over with, GO READ AND REVIEW! :O) Goddess Bless... ~*~Henna-chan~*~  
  
Chapter 2: Violet Eyes  
  
Nyx sat on her bed, exhausted from the night's work. Alexander was acting funny again, staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking and such. It was very annoying. On a higher note, later on she had met King Versilis. He shared the same structure as his son, yet his eyes held a slant the hinted at a Yamani parent. His hair was blue-black, with blue and brown eyes that sparkled with the same laughter as his son's. He proved to be very interesting to talk to, with the same easiness with commoners that his grandfather, King Jonathan IV and his queen Thayet the Peerless were fabled to have. Her thoughts were interrupted by a subtle knock on the door. Nyx sighed, and stood. She opened the door to find Alexander. "Do you need something, sire?" she asked hesitantly. "No, that's okay. Sit down; you look dead on your feet," he replied. She smiled gratefully and obeyed. He sat down next to her. "Nyx, there's something I've been meaning to tell you..." Nyx looked at him, curious. "Yes, sire?" Alexander looked down at his feet. "Please, call me Alex," the boy insisted. Nyx smiled. "Yes, Alex?" Alex shifted nervously. "Well... Nyx, for a long now..." He couldn't seem to get it out. He looked up at her and she saw his beautiful eyes glinting with something she had never seen before. Before she could react, he leaned in and kissed her. Nyx nearly drew back, surprised at the actions of her young lord. She came to the discovery that she didn't want to. She leaned in and enjoyed it the few moments it lasted. Alex abruptly pulled away. Nyx once again noted his blush as he looked at her. He took one more look at her and quickly left the room, leaving Nyx with her thoughts.  
  
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The royal family was still there the next day. They had been invited to stay overnight, as it had begun to rain before they had taking their leave. This meant that Nyx had triple the amount of her usual work, leaving little time to think of her "incident" with Alex. She was slightly grateful when they left at mid-day. Although, the queen had complimented her a great deal, which she would thoroughly miss. The rest of the day was uneventful, with not even a hint from Alex of the meaning of the kiss. Before she went to bed, she had a long conversation with her secret pet, Shadow. Shadow was a small black blob, of the kind called Darkings. All of the other Darkings lived in the Dragonlands, but this little fellow had been with her as long as she could remember. He (and it was indeed male) had told her that her father had sent him to watch over her. That night they had a long conversation about Alex. "I swear, it seems as if he doesn't even know I'm here after last night," Nyx confided to her small friend. "Maybe he scared," the darking said in his tiny voice. He had raised a small part of his body to form himself a head. Nyx pondered this thought. "You know, I never thought of that. Why would he be scared, though? Hmmm..." Nyx pondered for a moment. "Could you show me what he is doing?" Shadow nodded and formed himself into a small pool. When Nyx peered in, she saw Alex sitting at his desk. He wasn't writing, or drawing, or anything of the sort. He was just sitting there, lost in his own thoughts. Nyx wished that she could see for herself what had him so preoccupied. With a sigh, Nyx decided that it was time for her to go to sleep. "Maybe everything will make sense in the morning," she murmured to Shadow before she fell asleep. Shadow hoped in next to her, and with an affectionate rub of his head onto her hand, he fell asleep as well.  
  
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That night, Nyx dreamed. This was unusual in itself, as she was not one to dream often. In this dream, she was in a dark room watching the great gods. They were encircled around a shifting form, which could only be Uusuae, queen of Chaos. How Nyx knew all of this, she was uncertain. The dream shifted to Uusuae alone in her own realm. She was not shifting as horribly as she had been before. She was sticking to mainly human parts, thankfully. "Ozorne, report!" Her voice was the essence of all evil. A man with wings, talons, and pointy teeth all seemed to be made of steel clumsily flapped to a large wooden perch. He was in fact, a stormwing. Those who befouled the dead and played with the bodies, dining on the fear produced. He did a clumsy bow, his reddish brown hair falling foreword to cover his face. "I am here to serve," His voice held a bit of empirielness, as if he were a king. The image of the two rushed away, replaced at once with an image of a girl who could only be herself. She wore a long black gown, shot through with silver. At the bottom were mixed embroideries of red fire, blue waves, green leaves, gold wind, and white billowy lines. The dress was hemmed also, in silver. The sleeves were off the shoulder and sliced down the side of the arm, held together in a few places with a singe stitch each. Diamond earrings adorned her ears and nose, and a sheer black veil covered from her nose to her chin and was weighted with silver beads. Her hair was down and reaching to mid-back, with a veil covering it, as well. A silver chain was wrapped around the top of her head, with a curious silver star and circle combination serving as a charm. She wore a silver choker with the same symbol on it. Before Nyx had a chance to react, the image was gone, and she was awake. Noting that it was only a few minutes until dawn, she reluctantly got up and dressed in her usual hand-me-downs. She then put her hair into a horsetail and walked from her room to the kitchen. She took out some eggs fried them with some ham. She then made a rich porridge, with cinnamon in it. Next, she went out to gather the bottles of milk the milker laid out for her every morning. She skimmed the cream off, and poured the milk into three mugs. Happy with her work, she brought the food into the dinning room. "Good morning to all of you! I hope you were well rested," Nyx said with false cheer. She served her charges their meal, and went back to the kitchen to find some fresh fruit. Finding a dozen ripe apples, she washed three and brought them out for the three to eat. She then washed the other nine and diced them. She pulled out the ingredients for pie crust and got to work on the night's dessert. With that done, Nyx headed back to the dinning room to clear the dishes. Expecting to find the room empty, she was surprised to find Alex there. "I'm sorry, sire, would you like something else?" Alex jumped at hearing Nyx's voice. "I told you to call me Alex. And no. I am no longer hungry," Alex replied, his voice slightly louder than normal. Nyx bowed. "Pardon me si- er..., Alex." "We need to talk," Alex interrupted. A bit of relief flooded into Nyx's system. Would he finally tell her his intentions? Nyx sat down and waited for him to speak. "Nyx, we have known each other for a while now, no?" "Yes, Alex. Since I was brought here as an infant and reared by the servants." "Yes, well... For about a year now, I've realized that you are now a woman." "I suppose so. I -am- seventeen." "I know that! Well, what I mean to say is..." At the worst possible moment, the head maid Anya burst in the room, intent on cleaning the table. "I'm sorry m'lord, Nyx, am I intruding?" she said in her rough voice. Both stood up quickly, facing different directions. Nyx's cheeks burned; she knew for the first time in a long time she was blushing. Alex rushed out of the room, mumbling something about learning to hold a fief. Nyx sighed. That could have very well been her last chance. Anya gave a small smile, clearly guessing the couple's intentions. As Nyx walked out of the room, Anya slipped something into her hand and winked. Nyx looked down, horrified to find a pregnancy charm. Shrugging, she put in on anyway, "just in case".  
  
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It was several weeks later. Alex had approached her several times, each time interrupted by something or other. Nyx was getting very frustrated. Even when he does notice me, he's either hating me or ignoring me, she thought to herself. Knowing my luck, right before he actually tells me, we'll be attacked by raiders and he'll die. She was going about her normal duties, when Nain summoned her to the lesser sitting room. "You called, m'lady?" "Yes Nyx, please sit," Nain said, her voice carrying a hint of emotion. Nyx quickly obeyed. "Today, we received this letter." Nain gestured to a piece of paper in her hand, the blue seal broken. "Alex has been requested by the prince to come to the palace. You know they hit it off very well at the ball. Anyway, he is meant to bring a servant of his own." Nain shifted uncomfortably. "He asked if he could bring you." Nyx looked at her host, confused. "Me, m'lady?" Nain sighed. "Yes, you. I don't want you too, as there are so many..." she fumbled to find the words. "...Promiscuous men around that area. A beautiful woman such as yourself might get taken advantage of. Yet, Alex insisted. I asked some of the other servants he likes, of course, I did this discreetly. Apparently, none wish to go. So, I am inclined to ask of your services." Pausing, Nain looked at Nyx and grabbed her hand. "I am certain you will get hurt if you go. There will be plenty of drunken men, and even stormwings at the palace! You know of those horrid creatures, right?" "I don't think stormwings are that bad," Nyx slowly replied. Nain wrinkled her nose. "You will once you get caught in a room with one. Nyx, I just want what's best for you." "Mother, it is her decision!" Unbeknownst to the two females, Alex had walked in and now let his opinions be known. "Nyx, come on! It'll be a wonderful experience." Nyx looked down. She wanted to go, but she didn't want to disappoint Nain. As if it was fate, she looked up strait into Alex's pleading eyes. With a sigh, she said, "I think I would like to go, m'lady, m'lord." Her words were rewarded with a smile from Alex, and a sigh from Nain. "I'll miss you, then Nyx. You are leaving in three day's time," Nain ruefully said. "Well then, I better get back to work," Nyx replied. Looking back, she didn't know why she had answered the way she had. Had it been the mention of stormwings, her secret fascination for years? Maybe the prospect of being in the king's own castle? It took her until right before sleep weaved its blanket around her to realize that she just couldn't refuse those violet eyes.  
  
Don't forget to review! *hint hint* By the way, today (October 17) is my birthday! YAY!!! I got Tekkan 4!!! 


	3. To the Palace!

Chapter 3: To the palace we go!  
  
Nyx surveyed her mare warily. She was chestnut with white stockings and a black mane and tail. Even with a petite horse, Nyx was afraid to get on for fear that she would fall.  
  
Alex rode up on his own black stallion, Ink. "What's the matter? Haven't you ever ridden a horse before?"  
  
Nyx glared at him. "No, I haven't. I'm a servant, remember?" Her voice was tart.  
  
Alex shrugged. "Oh yeah. I forgot." He dismounted from Ink and helped her up. Nyx smiled gratefully, thankful for the breeches she wore. Anya had insisted that skirts were not garments worn for ridding a horse.  
  
"Maybe the ladies wear skirts for ridding, but Mithros, no girl of mine will go through that torture!" Anya had said, insisting that Nyx was like a daughter to her. Indeed, that burley woman had always acted like a mother. It was a comfort of sorts, compared to the harsh life a servant led.  
  
Alex had gotten back on his horse while she had let her mind wander. "After you, m'lady," he said with a bow that looked awfully silly on a sitting man.  
  
"You're the one that knows the way," replied Nyx, amusement clear in her voice.  
  
Alex scratched his head. "Oh yeah. I guess I forgot that, too." Nyx laughed, placing a portion of her hair that had fallen out of her tight bun behind an ear. He started to walk his horse, leading the way to the palace in Corus. It would take a week to get there.  
  
The mare, affectionally named Sweetheart, lived up to her name. She was gentle and easygoing, making sure the ride wasn't too bumpy. The wind was the worst. It carried with it the desert sands that bordered Goddess Grove. Both Nyx and Alex ended up wearing fine scarves over their noses and mouths, to keep the sand away.  
  
Alex wasn't the distant, restless figure he had been at his home. He was charming and witty, entertaining Nyx with stories of the past. Nyx was particularly interested in the stories of Sir Alanna the Lioness, Daine the Wolfspeaker (who died to become the goddess of wild magic), and Sir Keladry the protector of the small. The stories that involved Daine were strangely familiar, as if she had heard them before. Shadow wiggled when he heard of Daine's Darking allies, Goldstreak, Leaf, and Jelly, among others. Nyx was forced to mentally calm him. It was the fifth night into their journey when the rain began to pour. They seeked shelter in a small cave. Alex tried to build a fire, yet the wood was too wet. As he went to search for dry wood, Nyx stared at the unlit fire pit. "You know you are being terribly annoying." She looked away and held her head. "Oh great: now I'm talking to wood! Why can't you just be dry? Why can't you just do what I want?"  
  
Nyx coughed. Something smelled funny, as if it were burning, and she felt heat of her back. She looked back at the pit to see not the expected pile of wood, but a burning fire!  
  
"How'd you get the wood to light? I got some more, but we have to put it near the fire to dry." Alex had returned, and was standing at the entrance with a load of wood in his arms.  
  
"Oh, I just tried again and it worked! That's a good amount of wood. Put some here; we'll need it soon," Nyx commanded, praying her voice didn't shake.  
  
The two spent the night by the fire. Nyx was afraid to talk to him about the kiss, as Alex was afraid to speak of it, as well.  
  
Alex finally worked up the nerve to say something. "Nyx? Do you remember about a month ago when I kissed you?" Nyx didn't answer. "Well, I was trying to tell you... well, I... I..." Alex gulped. "I think I love you."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Nyx?" Alex looked down at the girl in his arms, realizing that she was asleep. He sighed, and picked her up, placing her in her bedroll. "Sweet dreams, sweet goddess," he said, kissing her forehead. He shuddered when he though her saw a shadow move closer to the girl. Shrugging it off, he walked towards his own bedroll. As he settled in he thought to himself, If only I could tell her how I feel. When she's awake, that is.  
  
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The next day was warm and just sunny enough to evaporate most of the water. They both agreed that they should keep going, even if they had to walk through the mud. They reached the palace two days later, receiving a warm welcome from the guards.  
  
"His Maj'sty 'as been testy waitin f'r yer arrival. Thank Mithros ye've arrived!"  
  
Alex had been protective of her through the city, as some of the men were eyeing Nyx in an uncomfortable manner. A few were brave enough to actually approach her, asking questions such as, "How much are you?" and, "It's getting chilly out. Can I help you warm up?" As soon as they saw Alex, though, they left quickly enough.  
  
It seemed that the happiest to see the two was Prince Raymond. He literally ran as soon as he saw them.  
  
"You made it! I'm so happy to see you!" Alex's face lit up when he saw Raymond.  
  
"How could I not come?" he asked, faking a sense of injustice. The with a laugh, he pulled the taller man into a hug. "It's good to see you."  
  
As the two men parted, Raymond looked over ay Nyx. "I'll have a servant direct you two to your adjourning rooms. You can unpack for the both of you, then."  
  
Nyx openly stared. "Adjourning rooms? Are you sure that's proper?" Raymond laughed.  
  
"You can't be too far from Alex. You need to serve him, right?"  
  
"I guess..." Nyx replied, still skeptical.  
  
"Good!" Raymond called over a page. "Go get me a servant to show these people to their rooms."  
  
"Yes, majesty," she said, running off towards the palace.  
  
The two men walked off to the training fields, while Nyx stood, waiting for the servant to come.  
  
"Excuse me, miss?"  
  
Nyx turned, expecting to see a servant. What she found was a squire, of about sixteen. His hair was like spun gold, and he donned a uniform of green and black. These were the colors of the fief Miriam's Forest. His eyes were a green that seemed to be almost yellow, his skin pale. He had a muscular build, which was expected of a squire to a fief in the King's good grace, and he was several inches taller than Nyx's five foot seven.  
  
"May I help you?" Nyx asked, uncertain of this strange man's intentions.  
  
"You from around here?" He leaned against the wall, obviously trying to look tough.  
  
"No, I accompanied the prince's company here. May I ask who you are?"  
  
"I am Dior of Lost Lake, squire to Sir Agustus of Miriam's Forest. And you..." he paused to grab her hand, "are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. May I ask your name?"  
  
"I'm Nyx. And I'm waiting to be directed to my rooms so... I guess we can, um, talk later."  
  
He reluctantly let go of her hand.  
  
"Okay... I hope to see you soon," he said with a wink then walked away. Nyx thought for a moment about what Dior had said. What is it with men suddenly falling for me lately? Or... seeming to, anyway, she thought to herself. A queer thought popped into her head: Maybe it's mating season.  
  
Another tap on her shoulder. She turned to see the servant she had been expecting earlier. "I am Gregor, and I was directed to show you to your rooms," he said in a dull voice.  
  
"Thank you, Gregor. I am Nyx," she replied, hoping to break the ice with a warm tone.  
  
Unfortunately, this didn't help. With a sigh, we started to walk away, motioning for her to follow. She picked up the bags and obeyed. The path through the palace was like a maze.  
  
'How am I ever going to remember how to return?' Nyx thought to herself. Luckily, she caught a few landmarks which would help later on.  
  
Finally, Gregor opened the door to their rooms. Alex's room was done in vibrant scarlets and golds. The hardwood floor was left bare save a few elegant throw rugs. Tables and chars alike were made of an unidentified yet beautiful carved wood that left the room smelling clean and fresh. The curtains and bed were silk and velvet alike, and there were doors leading to what Nyx guessed was other rooms. Nyx set to work putting Alex's cloths away in the beautiful drawers near the bed. When she was finished, she went into what Gregor had pointed out as her room before he left.  
  
Although not as elegant as Alex's, Nyx's room was still the most beautiful she had ever stayed in. The floors were wooden with a few sea green throw rugs. Furniture was done in a darker wood with a spicier scent, and the cushions were greens and blues. The bed was larger than her usual bed by two fold, and it had blue and green silk sheets. Nyx put away the few cloths she owned (She had made a few more than she had had to impress the royal family as Nain had asked her to) and eyed the bed warily. She noticed that she had her own bathroom and nearly fainted. She had never even dared to imagine having her own bathroom. Although she was Nain's favorite servant, she was just that: a servant. She didn't deserve such luxuries as one's own bathroom.  
  
Later on, a maid came by to show her where she would eat, etc. Cay, for that was her name, was a plump redhead. Her eyes were a deep brown, and as Nyx later learns, it is rumored that she was a product of Sir Thomas of Pirate Swoop's love for his servant, who just happens to be Cay's mother. This aside, Cay herself was a sweet, naive twenty-year-old. Nyx liked her instantly.  
  
Nyx was just leaving her room to get some sewing done in the sewing room Cay had showed her, when she felt a hand cover her mouth. She was pulled into the shadows, a knife biting into her throat, when she heard a voice whisper in her ear. "Don't move."  
  
Hehehe, cliffhanger! *Dodges rotting vegetables being thrown at her head* Hey! At least I'm writing... Which is more than I can usually say. Three chapters! I have a lot of inspiration for this story... lol. Look! Here begins the ACTUAL plot! Finally! Hate to do this to you, but how else am I supposed to end it? Review or I'll take longer to finish. ^.^ MEOW 


	4. Voices

Okay, so this chapter is kind of short. But you have to admit: that was a very great ending spot. I have been very busy lately. I had to write an 860 word report in one night. I hope you still enjoy this chapter, and please email me any ideas! (By the way, this is now my longest "mature" writing piece. YAY!)  
  
Goddess Bless.  
  
~*~Henna-chan~*~  
  
Chapter 4: Voices  
  
Alex paced his room nervously. He barely noticed the footprints he left on those beautiful rugs. All he knew was that Nyx was gone. And he had no clue where she was. 'Why didn't I tell her how much I love her when I had the chance?' He pounded his fist on the nearest wall.  
  
"We'll find her, Alex. Cay said that she found her sewing supplies outside of the room... she couldn't have gotten far," Ray was doing his best to comfort his friend.  
  
Alex was silent, never ceasing the pacing that had been going on for the last few minutes.  
  
"Alex, you'll never find her that way."  
  
Silence.  
  
"It's not that bad, I mean, at least she's not dead."  
  
The pacing stopped. If looks could kill, Ray would be long gone. At last Alex spoke. "You don't understand."  
  
"What do you mean I don't understand? I told you what happened to Jaelana!"  
  
"This is different!"  
  
"How much different can it be?" Ray's voice was dangerous.  
  
Alex's voice could barely be heard. "Jaelana knew how you felt. I've known Nyx all of my life, and I never told her." He felt like punching the wall again. He also felt like breaking down in tears, but he knew he could do neither. All he could do is sit and wait for his love to return to him.  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()* ()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*  
  
Nyx couldn't move. Except for the shaking. Oh, goddess, was she shaking. The only thought running through her head was 'I'm going to die, right here and now.' She would never tell Alex how she felt about him. She would never see the light of day again. And worst of all: she would never find her true birth parents.  
  
She was pulled through what she assumed was a trap door in the wall. She tried to resist, but her captor pulled her harder. Her futile attempts only earned her the right of being beaten. When she started being hit in the head, she thought it was all over. Her vision got hazy, and she blacked out. 'Alex...'  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()* ()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*  
  
'Am I dead? I can't see!' Nyx thought. The pounding in her head was all the proof she needed of her being alive. Further research showed that she was not blind, but that her eyes were closed. She tried in vain to open them. 'Okay, I'll just listen then.'  
  
Nyx had no clue where she was, but she had a lurking suspicion on how she got here. A voice in her mind was screaming a name undefinable to her. The faint whisper she heard sounded something like Skiredar. She thought, no, she somehow knew, that whoever Skiredar was, that they had brought her here. And she hated them for it.  
  
"Is she awake?" A voice from far away. Nyx made herself very still and slowed her breathing.  
  
"No, she's not awake yet. Good thing, too. We should move her back before she does. You know she will know that the girl is here." Another voice; deeper, breathier, and somehow familiar.  
  
"We don't want trouble from them. They'll be happy she's gone, even if they do disagree with our methods." The first voice again.  
  
The voices were getting closer. Nyx could feel that she was unbound, and only her eyes were covered. 'Stupid.'  
  
She felt something poking her shoulder. "You'd think that her daughter, with the guy she chose, would be a freak, but damn! She's got a body! You think they would mind if we play with her a little before we kill her?"  
  
"Better not, Miothite. You know how The Mother gets about the females." Miothite? The Mother? But... those are gods! Could Nyx really be in the realms of the gods?  
  
To be safe, she twitched a little, as if she were awakening. The act did the opposite of what she had wanted. Miothite's hand began to move down her arm.  
  
"She doesn't have to know..." That's it! Nyx either had to act now, or end up with the same fate as the unfortunate female who met an unmated Taurus. Thinking quickly, she noted that the two men were close enough to touch, if not touching already.  
  
Nyx braced herself. And she turned hard. She rolled several feet away from her captors and leaped to her feet. Ripping off her blindfold, she noted that one of the men was as undefined as a shadow, and the other was what she knew was called a Stormwing. Covering her awe for the creature she had been so longing to meet, she put herself in battle position. The power she felt rushing through her was unimaginable. "Who are you, and where am I?"  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot answer those questions." The shadow's voice proved to be the same as the one who had been touching her shoulder. "And you are not in the position to ask them."  
  
"Don't push it, Miothite. We don't know what she's capable of," the stormwing stated, fear in his eyes. He had the face of a Yamani, and his eyes were the same black as his hair.  
  
"I'll push as hard as I damn well please! I earned this! All this time, those so-called "great gods" have pushed me further and further to insanity. All they do is sit in their palace and talk about how hard life is. Try being a lesser god! Try being a mortal! They have no idea what it's like... but I do. And I will get them back for it," Miothite turned to Nyx. "And you are my ticket to it all." He pulled out a sphere of magic from his cloak that wasn't there. She didn't even see him throw it, yet seconds later it was speeding toward her.  
  
Nyx threw her hands up to shield her face, but she knew she couldn't get out of the way in time. She could feel the heat coming toward her, until it just... stopped. Nyx peered up. The ball had hit a wall she didn't know was there. "Hmm?"  
  
*Nyx..... NYX...... the power!* A voice that felt like poison rumbled through her ears. Nyx searched the room for the speaker. Her captors forgotten, she spoke. "Who are you? Where are you?"  
  
*The power! Use.... Nyx!*  
  
"What power? How?  
  
*Oomastane.... OoMAStane!*  
  
"Oomastane?" Nyx pondered aloud. Screams broke her concentration, but she knew the voice was still there: she heard maniacale laughter in her ears.  
  
She turned towards the screams. And then she wished she hadn't. 


	5. I am nobody

To answer a question asked, the name Nyx was not taken from a book series. (Although I will  
  
be keeping an eye out for the series indicated) I actually received the name from a Greek  
  
Goddess. (http://www.enchanted-art.com/nyx_large.html to learn more of her and see a  
  
picture... thanks to my good friend Kali Silverwing for providing the link) It has also come to  
  
my attention that some of you may not know how to pronounce some of the names/words in  
  
my story. Here is a key to tell you how:  
  
Nyx: (nee-x) (If that's not the true pronunciation, please tell me)  
  
Alex: (Ah- lex)  
  
Nicola: (Nee- coh la) (like Ricola... RICOLA!!!! lol)  
  
Nain: (Nay n)  
  
Dior: (Die-or)  
  
Jaelana: (Jay-lahnah)  
  
Miothite: (My-oh-th-ite) (rhymes with light)  
  
oomastane (ooh-ma-sta-nay)  
  
rashaa (rah-shah-ay)  
  
If I have missed any you would like explained, please bring this to my attention. Thank you.  
  
Also, I am in the search of an editor. My last one was not that good... I would like one that  
  
has a greater knowledge of the English language. *laughs*  
  
Lastly, please be more elaborate in your reviews. Do not just write : "I like your story" or  
  
"your story sucks". I would like to know why it is good, or why it sucks, so I can make it  
  
better. Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated, as I feel that I can improve my  
  
writing skills vastly. Thank you, and I'm sorry for the long author's note.  
  
Goddess bless...  
  
~*~Henna-chan~*~  
  
(Oh yeah, I do not own any of the places/gods/goddesses/characters you recognize. They  
  
are property of Tamora Pierce, and I claim no ownership. Forgot about that last few  
  
chapters... opps?)  
  
Chapter 5: I am nobody  
  
  
  
Nyx couldn't believe her eyes. Her two captors were melting! She couldn't seem  
  
to take her eyes off of them. The voice in her head was still there... she somehow knew. She  
  
felt it.  
  
*Nyx... rashaa... rashaa...*  
  
Nyx held her head and let out a cry of anguish. She had no clue what the word meant.  
  
Frankly, she didn't want to know. "No! Get away from me!" she cried, desperately trying to  
  
free herself from the grasp of her mind's captor. Yet the evil would not be dispersed.  
  
*rashaa! Nyx, rashaa! rashaa!*  
  
"I won't say it!" Nyx replied, her voice rebellious.  
  
*you must... save... escape... Nyx! Now! rashaa!*  
  
The voice was commanding her this time. Somehow she just had to obey it. It  
  
wouldn't hurt anyone this time. Hopefully... She sighed. "Okay! Fine! You win!" Nyx held her  
  
breath. "Ra-"  
  
"Who are you?" a woman's voice interrupted. The voice held the sound of a pack of  
  
wolves, howling to the full moon. Nyx looked up, and into the greenest eyes she had ever  
  
seen. The woman, no, the goddess standing before her, was the most beautiful she had ever  
  
seen in her life. The black hair, milky skin, and crimson lips alerted Nyx to the fact that she  
  
was in the presence of The Great Mother Goddess, Herself. The Goddess had seemed to be  
  
surprised to she Nyx, as well.  
  
Nyx was shocked at the sudden anger she felt as she looked upon The Mother's features.  
  
She felt no need to tell Her why she was here, or who she was. Her voice filled with contempt,  
  
only fueled by the presence inside of her, she simply answered, "I am nobody." She felt the  
  
voice inside of her urging her to leave, and she complied. Without waiting for an answer from  
  
The Mother, she shouted as loud as she could, "Rashaa!" Then she was falling. She hadn't the  
  
chance to hear The Mother's fearful reply.  
  
"Uusuae!"  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()* ()*()*()*()*()  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*  
  
Dior sighed as he watched the pages train. 'I used to be one of them. Now I am a squire,  
  
and I have but two years until I am a knight. Time sure goes fast.'  
  
He stood and walked briskly towards the archery targets. He knew that archery was his  
  
weak spot, and he intended to work on that. He was halfway there, when he felt a strange  
  
power coming from the sky. He unsheathed his sword, ready for an immortal, but instead he saw  
  
a small black opening. Confused, he stared for a moment. A small shape seemed to be  
  
descending from the hole.  
  
Ready for anything, Dior held his ground. He expected a gruesome attack and possibly a  
  
noble death. What he got was quite different.  
  
"Get out of my head!" A female voice cried as she plummeted toward her certain oblivion.  
  
Dior was ready. Sword forgotten, he scrambled to catch the falling girl. He succeeded, barely,  
  
and looked into the face of the girl he had met this morning.  
  
"Nyx?" he asked, but the girl had passed out either from pain or fright. He was unsure of  
  
what to do, but he knew that he had to get her to the healers.  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()* ()*()*()*()*()  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*  
  
Only minutes after Nyx had transported herself through realms, the Great Gods were in council. For the  
  
first time in centuries, all of the human gods were included, from the lowliest goddess  
  
to Mithros Himself. The latter god was sitting on his throne, anxiously listening to The Mother's  
  
recollection of the previous events.  
  
Mithros asked, "Are you sure she was speaking in Chaos tongue?"  
  
The Mother nodded. "I am positive. She must have been a minion of Uusuae. Yet... she  
  
wasn't deformed in any way. That is so unlike Chaos's usual followers."  
  
"Unless..." began a golden figure that sat near Mithros. "Could she be? Could she be the  
  
one from the prophecy?"  
  
"No, it couldn't be. Could it?" asked Solstice, the Goddess of winter.  
  
"It very well may be. Although we are uncertain, we need to find out. Undoubtedly, she  
  
will be protected from our sight by Uusuae's power, but let us try to locate her anyway."  
  
Mithros leaned foreword and rested his head in his hands. "We must try. The world depends  
  
on it." 


	6. Love and Spies

Hello everyone! I am so sorry it took me so unbelievably long to get this chapter out. But it has a love part, and I am really bad at writing those. I hate doing it, too. I don't know why I even bother, but I did. So it took me awhile. And do you know what? The summary of this story is horrible, and isn't even really the plot anymore. And I can't change it until next chapter, when the real story begins. (Proceeds to scowl.) So anyway, you can read this chapter now. I won't delay you further.  
  
Chapter 6: Love and Spies  
  
The world slowly came into focus as Nyx awoke from her deep slumber. Her head was pounding and she had absolutely no idea where she was. She tried to speak, but her throat seemed to be as dry as the desert winds of her home fief. As if in response to her awakening, a young girl with golden blonde hair and piercing blue eyes opened the door, carrying a tray of hot water. She nearly dropped the tray in surprise when she saw that Nyx was awake. "Master Alexander! Master Domitan! She's awake!"  
  
Nyx hadn't a moment to realize who the people that were being called were, as she found herself enveloped in a tight hug.  
  
"Nyx! Thank Mithros you're alive!" Alex's warm voice seemed to surge through her like a raging river, until she could take no more and did something she hadn't done in years. She cried. Alex held her and rubbed her back comfortingly. Soon she could cry no longer. Looking up into his deep amethyst eyes with her bloodshot silver, she suddenly had the urge to kiss him. She saw in his eyes that he wanted to do the same. Alas, the magical moment was broken by the sound of someone clearing his throat.  
  
Standing in the doorway was a man of about twenty years, with deep brown hair and dancing hazel eyes. "I believe I may be interrupting something, oh great lord and fair maiden, but you may have forgotten that the lady just came out of a three-day-coma. I believe I was sent here to make sure she is really alive. If you would be so kind?" He motioned for Alex to go sit in the corner. Grudgingly, Alex complied.  
  
Nyx watched as the man made his way to the bed she still sat on and kissed her hand. "What a beautiful woman like you is doing falling from the sky is beyond a man of my stature, but I certainly hope it happens more often. I am Master Domitan of Queenscove, the residential healer." She smiled at his flirtatious personality.  
  
"Queenscove? Is that not the fief that Sir Nealan was from?" she asked.  
  
"Indeed it is. He was my great uncle, actually," Domitan replied. "And I would be honored if you would call me Dom."  
  
Nyx smiled her affirmation, slightly surprised at the small grunt of annoyance coming from the corner.  
  
"Now then, let's take a look at you." Dom proceeded to examine her with his forest green edged with black gift. After about ten minutes, Dom was finished with his examination. "With a fall like that, I'm surprised at how easily you got off. Good thing that Squire Dior was there to catch you!"  
  
"Dior.... Dior of Lost Lake?" Nyx asked quizzically.  
  
"Yes, that's him. Do you know him?" Dom asked, clearly confused.  
  
"Not really... I met him once..." She was cut off by her own yawn.  
  
Dom tried to hide his amusement. "By The Goddess Herself, you would think that you have slept enough. Seriously, though, you need a bit more rest. I will check on you tomorrow at mid-day. Until then, beautiful lady!" On that note, he left, jokingly blowing a kiss to Nyx before stepping out of the door. Alex walked over to the bed a held her for a moment, mumbling something under his breath. Before she had the chance to inquire what it was, she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Alex repeated it a little louder as he felt the woman in his arms drift off into slumber. "I will never let you leave my arms again."  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()* ()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*  
  
Nyx awoke the next day at noon as Dom had so perfectly predicted. She sat up and stretched; her limbs felt as if she had been torn apart and glued back together like a broken vase. As if a siren had gone off, Dom appeared at that moment. "I see you are awake, Nyx. How do you feel?" he asked.  
  
Nyx paused. "My bones hurt, but other than that I'm fine." This drew a smile from the healer. He reached out with his gift and washed her body in magic. Almost instantly she felt better.  
  
He handed her a cup of tea he had placed on the table while healing her. "Drink this down. Yes, I know it smells noxious but it will keep the pain from coming back." She took the cup and caught a whiff. Making a face, she downed the potion obediently. "That's a good girl." Dom joked. "As soon as Sir Alexander allows you to begin working again, you may. I must be going now, I have to attend a surgery." As the door closed from Dom's departure, the clock tower sounded its alarm. It was noon. Nyx heard a loud curse come from Alex's room and silently laughed to herself as he came running through their adjourning door. She was surprised to be immediately pulled into a tight hug once more.  
  
"Don't ever scare me like that again or I shall chain you up in the darkest dungeon I can find." Alex said fiercely.  
  
"Excuse my bluntness, but you cannot do that if I die from suffocation first." Nyx replied, struggling to breathe. Alex immediately let go and Nyx gasped for breath. She looked up to see him blushing and mumbling apologies. She couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Nyx, I was wondering what happened. I mean, how did you end up falling from the sky?" Alex's voice was confused.  
  
Nyx pondered the thought for a moment. She frowned. "I don't remember. All I remember is walking towards the sewing room and then there's a blank spot until I woke up here." She gnawed on her thumbnail. "It's as if somebody tore out a chunk of my memory."  
  
Alex frowned as well and sat down on the bed, motioning Nyx to sit down as well. He was silent for a minute, but finally he spoke. "You have no idea how frightened I was for you." Nyx looked up at him and was startled at how intensely he was looking at her. She looked down at the floor, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.  
  
"You were that worried for me? But I am only a servant girl, worth no more than I ought to be." Nyx's voice shook with repressed tears.  
  
"You are serious? Nyx, you are worth much more to be than a simple servant girl," Alex responded. The soft tones of his voice made Nyx look up. His violet eyes met her own silver with a fire Nyx had never imagined. Engulfed in the fire was such a love and tenderness that she couldn't look away. "You are worth more to me than my own sister. I would do anything for you." Nyx could not hold the tears back anymore. She absently wiped the wetness from her eyes. She found that she could not think of a way to answer his words.  
  
Finally, she squeaked out a reply. "But... why? Why do so much for me?"  
  
He wiped a forgotten tear from her cheek and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Because I love you."  
  
And suddenly Nyx realized the intensity of her feelings for her lord. All of the things that had never made sense to her now fit into place. All because this man before her loved her. And now knew that she loved him back. The tears came more fiercely now, and as Alex pulled her into a hug once more, it was all she could do to keep from collapsing. He rubbed her back in slow, steady circles until her weeping ceased. Yet, he still held her.  
  
Nyx looked up to see him looking back down at her. And suddenly, everything was all right.  
  
*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()* ()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*  
  
It was later that day when Nyx and Alex were walking down the hallway with a package. It was for Dior, basically thanks for saving Nyx's life. As the two approached the hallway in which Dior's knight master lived, Nyx heard a small purr at her feet. She looked down to find a small cat, with black fur like silk and shining amethyst eyes. Nyx put down the gift and bent down to stroke the kitten's head. She was rewarded with the kitten's loud purring.  
  
"Now who might you be?" she asked the kitten as it played with a loose thread from her sleeve. She would have to fix that later. But for now, she decided to let the small animal have his fun. For after she checked, the cat was indeed male.  
  
At that moment Dior walked down the hall they were in and stopped in front of them, surprised to see Nyx and Alex on this side of the palace. Dior bowed, as was customary for someone of his status meeting a noble. Glancing up, he asked, "Lord Alexander, Nyx, what are you doing in this wing?"  
  
Alex bowed back and replied by saying, "We wished to thank you for catching Nyx. As a token of my family's gratitude, and mine, we wish to give you this." Alex handed Dior the package, and he opened it to reveal a dagger made of lightly colored wood and gilded steel. A small sun was carved into the handle.  
  
"Th-thank you so much!" Dior whispered, his eyes expressing his deep gratitude.  
  
"No, thank you for saving Nyx," Alex replied. Both men bowed and Nyx curtsied, the small kitten just sat there boredly, cleaning himself and waiting for the humans to finish their business.  
  
As Alex and Nyx walked back to their rooms, the cat decided to follow.  
  
"What shall we name your new shadow?" Alex questioned, clearly thinking of his servant's new pet as a joke. They had just arrived in the small common room they shared.  
  
"You're not suggesting I keep it, are you?" Nyx asked, warily.  
  
"You may if you wish."  
  
She smiled, and thought for a moment. "You know, he does look a lot like the cat that aided The Lioness. Maybe we should name him Faithful in her honor."  
  
"Wonderful idea! But do you know what I'm thinking about?" He asked, his voice sly.  
  
"And what might that be?"  
  
"This." With that, he leaned towards her and captured her lips with his own.  
  
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A week later, Nyx had been speaking with Shadow about the small bits of her kidnapping she did remember, namely the image of a melting stormwing and a deep feeling of contempt. An hour later, she found that Faithful had all but disappeared.  
  
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"Are you sure that you have found her?" The voice of the Goddess seemed desperate, as if this was a matter of life and death. And indeed it was.  
  
Faithful, standing before the thrones of Mithros and the Mother Goddess, replied, "I'm positive. She looked exactly as You described, and not an hour ago she was speaking with a darking. Not only that, but they were talking about the incident."  
  
None of the deities seemed phased that the animal had spoken.  
  
In a booming voice, Mithros spoke. "Then bring her to us tomorrow night. If the prophecy is to be carried out, we have only until the next full moon to find the rest and decipher it. She is the key between the light and the dark. Do not fail me!"  
  
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Nyx was quietly mending one of her skirts when she heard a scratching on the window. She looked up into the purple eyes of Faithful. "You gave me quite a scare, Faithful," she said as she picked the cat up to find him a nice bowl of milk. She did not notice the cat's almost worrying gaze towards the quickly shrinking full moon that hung in the midsummer night's sky. 


	7. The truth is told

Greetings, loyal readers! Art thou surprised that I updated? I thank thee for thine patience and support. (end medieval mode) Okay, anyway.... I finally got some time so I decided to sit down and actually write this thing. I know exactly what's going to happen, too. Probably. Okay, reasons why I haven't updated in an eternity: First I was away for awhile, then I lost all inspiration, which only came back right before school started... then I'm in three honors classes and my language is Japanese. So I've got a lot of schoolwork. Also, I was on the volleyball team (The Craze was team name, cool, huh?) and that took up at least two hours a day. We were 11- 4!!! And when I did have some free time my computer broke. grr... And I sprained my ankle, so I couldn't go up the stairs to get to the computer. So that's my story. You may now proceed to throw Lepers and moldy vegetables. (ducks and runs away as wave of garbage is thrown)  
  
Chapter 7: The Truth is Told  
  
It seemed to be just a normal day in the palace. The servants were serving, the nobles were whining, and all was right with the universe. Except for the fact that one particular servant in one particular room was being spoken to. That doesn't seem so interesting, does it? It is when the speaker just happened to be her cat.  
  
Let me start from the beginning. Nyx had woken up contented that something in her life was finally going right. She hummed as she tided up her rooms, and those of her master. Faithful had been living up to his name and following her as she worked, constantly purring as if begging for a bowl of warm cream. Finally, Nyx couldn't help herself, and went to retrieve one for him. As he drank his cream, she spoke to him as if he were human. She had gotten into the habit of doing this, and telling him things she found it embarrassing to speak of to others.  
  
"I just can't get over how much your eyes remind me of Alex's. Do you think that it would work out between Alex and me? Oh why am I asking you. Sometimes I forget that you're just a cat," she laughed. She stopped abruptly, noticing for the first time the cats unwavering glare. It was unnerving. And then to her astonishment, he spoke.  
  
"Are you so certain of all things?"  
  
Nyx nearly fainted. "Did you just-- no, you couldn't have. I'm hearing things."  
  
"No, you're mind is not playing tricks on you. I am truly speaking." Faithful said.  
  
"How can you.... why--" Nyx stared, but could not finish. The idea of the animal speaking left her dumbstruck.  
  
"I shall explain everything. Initially, I am the God of the cats. Yes, I was the cat who led the Lioness to glory. You may ask why I am here with you if this is so. I was sent to watch you by Mithros and the Mother Goddess Themselves. They have been searching for you for a long time."  
  
"For me? But I'm not important; I'm just a servant."  
  
"All will be explained in time. But for now, I need to escort you to the Realms of the Gods." At the animal's nod, a human sized portal appeared in the air next to them. Nyx was frightened, and all of this was happening so quickly, but she steadied her trembling lip and followed Faithful to the place where her destiny would be decided.  
  
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The two emerged in a large clearing, overlooking the crystal palace that legend had named the meetinghouse of the Gods. Nyx gulped, and pushed herself foreword, following the lead of the deified cat. She felt the Gods look up at her arrival. Her instincts told her to run. Faithful's glare was the only thing that stopped her from doing so.  
  
She was once again face to face with the Mother Goddess. Nyx had to refuse the urge to spit in her face. The familiar voice spoke. "It is she!" The other Gods seemed to buzz with excitement. All of this for her?  
  
A booming voice; Mithros: "This... girl is the one you spoke of? I find this hard to believe."  
  
"You question my judgment?" The Mother's voice was icy. "It is she. I'm sure of it."  
  
Mithros, tall, black, and so covered in gold that Nyx had to squint as to not be blinded, studied the girl in question for a moment, and then gave in. "Fine, if you say that it's her, it must be so." Mithros directed his attention once again to Nyx. "Speak child. Tell us your name."  
  
She looked down at the floor, automatically reverting back to her teachings as a servant. "Nyx," she answered, though she subconsciously refused to finish the statement with the usual "m'lord".  
  
"Nyx, eh? Look up, dearie and let me have a look at you." That was the Graveyard Hag, obviously. There was no mistaking the old woman's voice. Nyx obeyed. She looked out into the sea of multi-colored faces with just a hint of defiance. She was not to be taken lightly, and not to become a pawn.  
  
If the Gods noticed her rebellion, they said nothing.  
  
The Mother stepped foreword once more. "Nyx, you are an orphan, am I correct?"  
  
Nyx hesitated, and then nodded.  
  
She continued, "And do you know who your birth parents were?"  
  
Hesitant once again, Nyx replied, "I don't see what this has to do with anything, but no. I don't."  
  
The Goddess looked her over once more and mumbled to Mithros, "Look, it must be her. She has her mother's face. And her father's rebellion." The Great God nodded in agreement. Turning once more to Nyx, she gazed at the girl with something unidentifiable in her eyes. It closely resembled hope, but it might just as easily have been recognized as fear.  
  
The Mother took a deep breath and then began her story. "Nyx, what I am about to tell you may seem impossible, but you must trust me. If you don't, the world as we know it will never be the same. Either way, yours will be dramatically altered, for better or for worse, depending on your own choices.  
  
"When the universe began, there were only the two Creators, Mother Flame and Father Time. We, the Gods, are their children. All of us prospered in our realm, and all of us were happy. All of us but one. Uusuae, then the Goddess of the night, was distant and unsociable. She refused to speak with the other Gods, and spent all of her time locked in the eternal dark she had created for herself. At this time, she was not the shifting monster that she is today; She had a true form, that of a beautiful young woman. She did not recognize her own beauty, though. She detested her appearance, and begged the Creators to change it. They refused her.  
  
"Uusuae fell into depression, and eventually developed a hatred and jealousy of the other Gods. So she made a deal with Chaos. If Chaos gave her the ability to change her shape, she would allow herself to become Its host. Before the rest of us could stop her, the deal was done. She became the essence of evil: Chaos. Now her form is ever shifting and changing, and she wanders the world causing famine and destruction." The Goddess took a breath, and continued.  
  
"She went on for thousands of years this way, until the more recent deal with the Former Emperor of Carthak, then Stormwing, Ozorne. She found more than loyalty in Ozorne, she found someone she could trust, and maybe even love, in her own way. Less than a week before Ozorne's death, Uusuae finally found her true form again. She became her original self for but an hour. That hour was enough.  
  
"Ozorne fathered Uusuae's first child that night." The Goddess paused yet again.  
  
"That was why Uusuae was so upset when the wildmage caused his death." The Mother stared at Nyx for a moment. Not a sound was heard throughout the palace until the Goddess spoke again. "Nyx, you are that child. You are the child of Uusuae and Ozorne."  
  
Nyx took a second to let this information sink in. When she looked back to the Mother Goddess, she had tears in her eyes. "You're positive?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why wait all of this time to tell me?" Nyx asked, her voice soft.  
  
"Uusuae guarded you from our sight; we were unsure of your location until we sent out Faithful with a description." A pause. The Goddess continued, "We did not bring you here solely for the purpose of telling you of your parents. One thousand years ago, a mortal who died telling us of it discovered a prophecy. Most of it was never recovered. This prophecy is about you and the son of Mithros." A young man stepped foreword, shining with gold. He seemed somewhat familiar... and then it hit her.  
  
"Dior? You're the son of Mithros?" Nyx practically screamed. All of this was too much.  
  
"Yes, Nyx. I'm the son of Mithros. Don't ask why I didn't tell you; I think it's fairly obvious that I don't want this getting around." Dior joked.  
  
"Nyx, the prophecy was never completed. You and Dior, as the recipients of the prophecy, must travel across the realms of the Gods to the Mountains of Naia, keeper of prophecies. It's vital to all of our survival," The Goddess interrupted. "We only have until the next full moon."  
  
Nyx was hesitant. Looking down, she sighed, and then whispered, "I'm not sure that I want to go." Looking up to see their surprised faces, Nyx quickly finished her thought. "I have a good reason, okay?" The Gods continued to stare, until Nyx was so uncomfortable she blurted out, "I don't want to leave Alex, okay?" Realizing what had just popped out, she blushed.  
  
The Mother smiled knowingly. "This Alex is that important to you?"  
  
"He is everything to me," Nyx replied.  
  
The Mother looked over at Mithros. The two beings seemed to be arguing, but no sound was heard. A quick look to Dior, and the decision was made.  
  
"Would you go if Alex were to accompany you?" The Mother questioned.  
  
Nyx thought over the idea for a moment. "If he agreed, then yes, I would."  
  
The Mother smiled. "You must go pack for your journey. We will allow Alex to join you and Dior if he so desires." With that, a portal opened, leading into Nyx's rooms. Nyx walked through quickly, and watched as it sealed behind her.  
  
Knowing there wasn't much time, Nyx grabbed her small, worn bag and stuffed her two pairs of breeches into it, along with all of her shirts and undergarments. The bag was still very light, so she added some other necessities and some things to keep her warm if it grew cold. After a second of thought, she asked Shadow to jump into the bag as well, for now.  
  
"You can come out after we leave, okay?" She told him, and the darking replied with an affectionate rub of his head, and complied.  
  
"Nyx, what are you doing?" came a frightened voice from the door. She turned to see Alex standing there, stricken with fear that she was leaving him.  
  
"Alex, I have to go for awhile. I need to take care of something important," she whispered, chest tight from withheld tears.  
  
"What? What is it?" Alex asked, concern in his face. He walked over to Nyx and wrapped her in his arms. "Can't you tell me?"  
  
Nyx held her breath, savoring the feel of his arms. What if he didn't love her enough to understand? "I... I have to go on a journey. For the Gods." Nyx knew she couldn't tell him the whole truth. Not yet. She looked into his eyes. "Come with me."  
  
Alex thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. "Of course." Nyx smiled and gave him a quick kiss before breaking free from his embrace.  
  
"Are you sure? I don't know what could happen. It might be dangerous."  
  
"Then I'll be by your side to protect you." Nyx couldn't help but smile.  
  
"I'll help you pack."  
  
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A few minutes later, Alex and Nyx were ready to leave. The portal opened once again, and Nyx pulled Alex through. Alex looked around, astounded by hi surroundings. Nyx had apparently forgotten to mention that the quest was through the realms of the Gods. He gave her a look, and she just smiled innocently.  
  
"We are ready," Nyx informed the Mother.  
  
The Mother nodded, and walked over to the two, along with Dior.  
  
Alex seemed surprised to see Dior there, as well, but Nyx quickly filled Alex in on some parts of the story, mainly about the purpose of the journey. She once again deliberately left out the story of her parents, or why she was chosen to complete this quest.  
  
Afterwards, Mithros stepped up to the three travelers and pulled out a parchment (from his sub-dimensional pocket, of course) and placed it on the table that appeared in front of them.  
  
His voice boomed out as he spoke of where their travels would take them. "First, you will go north along the shores of the Ryuuni Sea. Don't enter the water, as it is like acid. Soon the sands will give way to greenery, and you will enter the Green Gardens. There are faeries and unicorns there, but some are tricky and may try to steal your things, so watch out. The trees will grow thick and you will be in the Silent Wood. All magic is nullified here, and absorbed by the trees. This wood is very dense, and it will take you many days to get through it. But you will be rewarded if you find your way. There is an oasis at the end, with a spring with the sweetest water ever created. Then, it is only a few hours walk to the base of Naia's mountain, where it is eternally winter. You must scale the mountain and find her cavern, and then prove yourself worthy of the information you seek. Good luck on your journey, and may Fate be with you."  
  
The three bowed, and Nyx accepted the map that had formed as he spoke. After accepting a few more gifts from the Gods, such as spelled weapons and extra provisions, they were off. And so it begins.  
  
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I kind of rushed through the ending, but oh well. That was the end of the chapter. Yay.  
  
Okay, I decided to write a note to everyone who reviewed even though I never update. (innocent whistle) so here 'tis. I'll write a little note to those who reviewed for chapter 6, and just list the rest because that's just the way I'm doing it. So there. Those who reviewed: Tim the Enchantress Shadowed Hope Lady Arwen Evenstar1 Lady Marie Mesobored Winterleaf (*rolls eyes at Saturn's constant name changes*) Evee  
  
*Notes* Rose-of-Versailles: Yes!!!! Faithful HAS to be in my story. He's just cool. And I love Nain! Too bad she's not in the story that much... (Cries because I can't change that because that's the way the story goes) Alia: Actually, you may interpret the statements in that chapter however you chose. I never said she did, I never said she didn't. But personally, I don't find the idea of Nyx losing her virginity that gross... (Insert sly grin here). Anyway, actually she didn't. They just fooled around a bit. heh. Sortzgurl: Thanks! I like my story too, lol. Sorry about lack of updates.... I've been busy. (hangs head in shame)  
  
ummm... see you all next update. Goddess Bless... 


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